Search

In Northern Thailand there was a statue of the Buddha. In artistic terms, it was nothing special; not very well adorned, plain, and made of clay. But it was a holy object, and it stood for over 500 years with generations of monks carefully tending it. Then, in the early 20th century, this statue was moved to make way for a new temple. Underestimating the weight of the statue, the crane brought in to lift it dropped it, and some of the clay was chipped away. The monks hurriedly covered the statue to protect it from the elements. Late that night, a monk who believed the statue was divine entered under the tarp with a flashlight and began inspecting the damage. When he shone his light into a crack in the clay, he exclaimed in loud surprise. For what he saw reflecting back at…

Like this:

I shared some of my favorite Kundalini mantra music with a Buddhist friend the other day. He loved it, but then gingerly asked whether I “consider it to be compatible with Buddhism”. He asked about the music, but he was really asking about the paths, in general. “Maybe I should just forget about all that and just enjoy it for what it is”, he then mused. And did I have any thoughts?

Of course, I did. And he already knew the answer—”you said it”, I told him. “You should absolutely enjoy it because only the dualistic mind sees a difference. All paths are one and truth is truth”.

I have another Buddhist friend, a musician, who grew up with gospel. To my best knowledge, he would never consider shunning this inspirational music that he loves so much just because it’s Christian. What an idea!…

We asked a panel of people who practice both yoga and Buddhism how the two can work together.

In the forests of Vedic India, pupils gathered around teachers who instructed them in the path of liberation called yoga, meaning “union.” One such student, in the 6th century bce, was a young mendicant who came to be known as the Buddha. Three centuries after that, the teachings of yoga were compiled by Patanjali as the Yoga Sutras, and another two millennia later, the teachings of both Buddha and Patanjali have found a new home in the West. We asked a panel of people who practice both yoga and Buddhism how the two can work together.

Shambhala Sun: What would you say to one of the millions of Americans doing yoga who is interested in also practicing Buddhism? Why would you recommend…

Like this:

Karma is a word everyone knows, yet few in the West understand what it means. Westerners too often think it means “fate” or is some kind of cosmic justice system. This is not a Buddhist understanding of karma, however.

Karma is a Sanskrit word that means “action.” Sometimes you might see the Pali spelling, kamma, which means the same thing. In Buddhism, karma has a more specific meaning, which is volitional or willful action. Things we choose to do or say or think set karma into motion. The law of karma is a law of cause and effect.

Sometimes Westerners use the word karma to mean the result of karma. For example, someone might say John lost his job because “that’s his karma.” However, as Buddhists use the word, karma is the action, not the result. The effects of karma are spoken of as the “fruits” or the “result” of…

Like this:

While surveying the Kuru Jungle, Parīkṣit heard undesirable news: Kali had spread through the kingdom. Seeing this as an excellent opportunity for a fight, he took up his weapons and set out on a beautiful chariot, flying a lion-flag and yoked to brilliantly black horses, along with soldiers, horsemen, elephanteers and charioteers.

As he traveled, he brought order and strength to his lands.[1] Everywhere he went he always heard bards singing about his great ancestors, because their fame was involved with the glories of Kṛṣṇa. These songs often involved him, too: especially how Krishna rescued him from the powerful weapon of Aśvatthāma. He heard songs about the great affection between his family and Krishna’s family, due to their mutual love for Krishna.

Extremely satisfied by these songs his eyes opened wide with delighted love. In a very magnanimous mood…

Share this:

Like this:

When Kuntī heard the terrible news from her son, Arjuna, she immediately ceased her material existence with undeviating and nakedly soulful divine love for the transcendent All-Attractive.

King Yudhiṣṭhira was very troubled about the road taken by the All-Attractive and the destruction of the Yadu family. Deeply lonesome, he made up his mind to follow the same road himself.

Sometimes one uses a thorn to take out a thorn, and in the end throws both away. Similarly, the Unborn took a body to remove the burdens of the world and then discarded both. Like a magician, he takes the forms of a fish and so on. Then, when they have relieved the burdens of the world, those forms disappear.

The form of the All-Attractive Liberator is the subject of spiritual discussion and celebration. When it disappeared, right then and there Kali appeared, causing ill-fortune and underdevelopment of the mind and…

Share this:

Like this:

While the king inquired fearfully, Arjuna became more and more morose over the loss of Krishna – a friend dearer to him than his very self. Sadness dried his mouth, and the lotus of his heart was robbed of luster. Enrapt in memory of his great friend, he could not answer for a long time. He made great efforts to stop his uncontrollable sobbing, smearing tears around his eyes with his hands. Pain grew deeper and deeper with him, from his powerful affection for one who was now out of sight.

Remembering his friend and companion – the well-wisher who had been his chariot driver and so much else – he turned to his eldest brother, the King, and spoke in stuttering and exploding words:

O Emperor, I am bereft of Hari… who had become our intimate relative. Without him all my astounding strength, which amazed even the gods, is…

Share this:

Like this:

Arjuna had been gone for months and still had not returned from his trip to Dvārakā with news of their relatives and Krishna. Meanwhile, King Yudhiṣṭhira observed many different omens of ill fortune. Unseasonal weather and behavior – cruelty, anger, greed and deceit – foretold the approach of a terrible fate. Even fathers, mothers, well-wishers and brothers were polluted by cheating and duplicity; while husbands and wives quarreled. Many such bad omens declared that the time for the decline of humanity was at hand.

The King turned to his younger brother, Bhīma, and said:

It is now seven months since Arjuna went to Dvārakā. I have heard nothing from him and have no idea why he has not returned. Maybe it is what the Sage of Gods [Nārada] told us: Maybe the time has come for the All-Attractive to dissolve the manifestation of himself and his expansions?

Share this:

Like this:

Nārada Advises Yudhiṣṭhira

Meanwhile, the noble King had finished his morning prayers and rituals – paying respects to the learned and giving them food, resources and money. He returned to the palace to respect his elders but could not find his uncles and aunt.

Worried, he went to Sañjaya and asked,

“Where is our blind and old uncle? Where is my aunt, so sad over the death of her children? Where is my Uncle Vidura, who has always protected me? Have I been so insensitive to their losses that they’ve thrown themselves into the Ganges in misery?

“When our father Pāṇḍu fell and we were still little children, our uncles protected us from danger and disaster. Where have they gone?”

Sañjaya couldn’t answer right away, but he brushed away his own tears, calmed his own mind and, carefully remembering the feet of his master, began to reply.